Welcome to

Crossville Sweet Peas!

**Please note change- All juniors and adult jeans on hangers MUST be secured with tape on the hanger with the pin through the tape and secured around the hanger. This prevents the jeans from coming off the hanger. This is not a request, but mandatory. I will NOT accept any juniors or adults jeans without this. Please refer to the picture in the Preparing for the Sale tab.

We also will no longer have a $1.00 imperfect rack. If an item is found to have a stain, a hole, or smells like cigarette smoke it will be pulled and held until the end of the sale and be given back to you. DO NOT bring ANY stained clothing or smokey clothing. Check carefully! I want to keep this sale known as the sale where people can purchase like new or excellent to great condition clothing. Thank you for your cooperation .**

*For a small fee per transaction, we are now excepting Debit/Credit Cards thru Square Register mobile payment system.*

Hey Consignors, the Spring and Summer 2015sale is getting closer everyday so we hope you're gearing up and getting ready! The first drop-off day is Saturday, February 28th 12-4pm.

Refer to the schedule tab to get the exact dates and times.

Before you jump in, here are just a few reminders and up-dates:

*Be sure and read through 'Preparing your items' which should tell you or remind you how to tag just about anything.

*It is a Spring and Summer Sale so please keep everything seasonally appropriate, however we will accept long sleeve spring type items. As always, jeans are accepted year-round.

*We accept Women's clothing but please remember (due to space) there is a limit of 5 per consignor.

*We use a special program to generate computer tags with barcodes which can be accessed via the internet (none of which is stored on the computer itself). So for those of you who don't own a computer, if you have a friend with a laptop and internet access you're in business! That also means that all your tagging information can be accessed (with username and password) at any time, from any computer with internet access; which means you can print your tags any time, anywhere. Just don't forget to use card stock and not copy paper. 60lb cardstock or heavier. The scanner seems to prefer WHITE card stock. Even pastels sometimes are not scannable. PLEASE NO DARK COLORS!

*Just a few words-to-the-wise..... STOCK UP EARLY! Don't wait till the last minute to buy your supplies or you won't be able to find any. Wire hangers, cardstock and safety pins seem to be the most sought after items as drop-off draws nearer but by all means, don't forget ink for the printer! Other supplies to have on hand include clear packing tape, blue painters tape (to prevent damage on fragile or paper items), cleaning wipes, zip-ties and zip-lock bags in assorted sizes. *Do NOT use the Dollar General type safety pins. These are extremely flimsy pins and will NOT hold clothes/pants onto the hangers.

*Don't forget to have your items grouped by size for drop-off. We will get you checked in and then we ask that you place all your items out on the selling floor and onto the appropriate racks, so please allow enough time to complete this process.

*All Consignor checks will be mailed during the week following the sale, so please bring a self addressed stamped envelope to drop-off, or to us anytime during sale hours.

*Just a reminder- volunteer shifts are available. We CANNOT run a smooth sale without volunteers. We need YOU! Sign-up here online or give us a call. Remember, volunteers get to shop even earlier on Consignor night! Husbands count too. We always need people on security detail and helpers to carry and load larger items.

One last thing to mention- we have had items in the past that smell like smoke. This year I will be turning away items if they smell like cigarette smoke. You must wash all clothing and bring it in clean and clean smelling before we will accept it. Thank you for your cooperation in this!

Thank you for your continued support during all of the new changes! We look forward to seeing you there!!

-Cortney

Sale dates and times:(Open to the public)

Wednesday, March 4th 8am-8pm

Thursday, March 5th 8am-8pm

Friday, March 6st 8am-8pm

Saturday, March 7th 9am-3pm - HALF PRICE All DAY!

Drop-off dates and times for consignors:

Saturday February 28th

12pm - 4pm

Sunday March 1st

1pm - 4pm

Monday March 2nd

10am - 2pm

Pre-sale:(For Consignors only!)
Tuesday, March 3rd, 6pm-8pm

Pick-up unsold items:

Sun.March 8th, 2pm-4pm

*Any items that are not picked up by 4pm will be considered donated.

Checks mailed:

Checks will all be mailed by Friday after the sale. Please bring a self addressed stamped envelope with you to drop-off or pick up.

What exactly is a consignor?

A consignor is someone who brings their gently used items to us, (that have been prepared in accordance with our guidelines), on one of our designated drop-off dates so that Sweet Peas can sell the items on their behalf. Once you’ve become a consignor you’re entitled to incentives not available to anyone else. Consignors get early shopping privileges before the doors open to the public – an entire night dedicated just to them.

So do I have to stay there with my stuff during the sale?

No, once you’re finished at drop-off you’re free to go. Sweet Peas handles all the rest so that you don’t have to. However, for those of you that want to stay, we have lots of volunteer shifts available. You can sign up for those right here through our website, or call/text us at (931) 265-2476 to schedule. Oh, did I forget to mention, volunteers get to shop even earlier!!

If I bring items to consign, am I giving them up for good, or do they still belong to me?

Every consignor retains ownership of their items until the item is purchased, (however once your items are checked into the sale you may not come and get them until the sale is over). All un-sold items are returned to consignors on pick-up day, unless the consignor has chosen to donate remaining items.

How much money do consignors make and are there any other fees or deductions?

Sweet Peas consignors are paid 70% of the selling price for all items sold. The amount you make is entirely based on the quality and quantity of items you bring, and your adherence to our guide-lines and suggestions. We’ll do our best to guide you with helpful information and tips, what you do with that information is up to you. As far as fees are concerned, there aren't any!

How do I become a consignor, what do I need to do?

It’s very easy! First, call or text Cortney to get your Consignor number. Then click on the Sign Me Up button to get started. You’ll be taken through the registration process and then when you’re finished you’ll be able to enjoy all our new features. You can create all your tags (bar-coded with your consignor number) online and print them out (8 to a page) on 60lb (or heavier, 65lb, 110lb) white cardstock, right from home. You’ll be able to watch and manage your inventory, and even check your sales at the end of each day.

I am a returning consignor, do I still need to register?

Yes! Although you're already in our system, you'll still need to register for the current seasons sale. This gives you access to our online tagging and the sign-up page for volunteer shifts.

As a returning consignor registering into the system, will I keep the same consignor number I’ve been using?

Yes again! Please enter the same consignor number you were issued the first time you consigned with Sweet Peas. This will help us merge old records with new as far as book-keeping goes. It's also essential for anyone who stores un-sold items, (already tagged), from previous Sweet Peas sales to be able to bring those items (making sure they're seasonally appropriate of course), to drop-off with all their newly prepared items. If you have forgotten you consignor number, just let us know and we'll get it for you.

Is it hard to get your items ready for the sale?

Not at all! The people who run into the most problems are the ones who didn’t actually read the information on 'how to prepare your items' here on our website. We’ve gone to great lengths to give you the detailed instructions you need – not just to make our lives easier during the sale, - but to make your job go so much more smoothly. Whether you’re conquering ‘Rubbermaid mountain’ once and for all, or you’re selectively parting with a handful of items, these instructions are there to help you. When everyone is on the same page, so to speak, the end result is a sale that is uniform in appearance, feels clean and well organized – and keeps our shoppers coming back for more!

Sweet Peas is very particular about how clothes are hung, especially pants and 2-piece outfits, Why do we have to hang things a certain way?

Because it works the best! And yes, we at Sweet Peas are sticklers for items being hung correctly. (See Preparing specific items for complete instructions.) This is done for your benefit as well as ours. Two-piece outfits with one piece missing are kinda hard to sell. We don’t like to find random bloomers or pants on the floor under the racks. If they have their own tag that’s great, but they’re still not going to sell off the floor. If they don’t have their own tag because they were part of a set – that’s when it gets frustrating. Unfortunately we don’t have time to try and hunt down the other piece, (although we still usually try), and so the random pieces go in the lost and found bin where they’re certainly not going to sell, and 80% of the time they never see their owner again and end up being donated. The dreaded clippie hanger, and pants hangers used incorrectly are the culprits every time! It’s not just the fact that eventually things slip off due to the tremendous volume of traffic each hanger must endure, it’s also the fact that it’s just too tempting for shoppers to un-clip or remove a pair of pants so they can hold them up, stretch the waistband to see if it’s going to fit etc. etc.. Maybe they clip the item back on, or maybe they flop it over the top of the rack. Space is also a huge consideration, clippie hangers are very bulky which takes up a lot of your selling room unnecessarily on each rack. Last but not least is consistency. Over the years we’ve seen some very clever and inventive ways to hang pants and 2-piece outfits. However in the spirit of fairness, those consignors who hunt down wire hangers when there are no more left in Crossville (which does happen so plan ahead) are not exactly thrilled to see clippie hangers on the racks. Bottom line, everything from check-in to shopping is so much easier when everybody’s items are prepared in the same manner.

Do I really have to clean everything before I bring it to consign?

How about if I price it a little less and then the person that buys it can take it home and clean it? Yuck! Absolutely not!! If you bring dirty items to check-in no one is going to buy them because we’re going to send them right back home with you, regardless of price. Every high chair, every tennis shoe, every baby doll needs to be wiped down or washed unless they’re in like new condition. If for some reason you get to check-in and realize you missed a spot, (or completely forgot to do it) we will have cleaning supplies available for you to use.

Why does my clothing need to be ‘inspected’, I read the rules, isn’t that slightly insulting?

Not as insulting as Consignors who bring snow boots to the Spring and Summer sale! We don’t expect you to be perfect, none of us are, that’s why we do a screening process just in case something accidentally ended up being tagged that probably shouldn’t have been, (please see ‘Items to bring’ if you’re unsure of what’s acceptable and what’s not). In the past (for the very reason of not hurting anyone’s feelings), we’d simply pull items from the floor that were not acceptable for one reason or another. The problem with that method was the volume of unusable items. We don’t have anywhere to store the quantity of items that were being pulled. So please, please understand, it is not our intention to offend or upset anyone, however it would be wrong for us to jeopardize the integrity and reputation this sale has earned just to keep from ruffling a few feathers. It is so easy to miss a stain, or to tag a dress that used to look so beautiful on your daughter – without realizing that was 15 years ago and it now looks very dated. The limitations of the space are also a huge consideration, so by accepting the best of the best we are ensuring that the racks are full of the top quality items you, and all our shoppers, have come to expect.

Why do you only accept one season at a time?

One word…………SPACE! Our room is already full each sale, by accepting both Fall and Winter, and Spring and Summer items at the same time we’d be doubling the inventory which is just NOT an option!

Can I bring everything I own, is there a limit?

Well, there’s no limit (with a couple of exceptions), but remember QUALITY IS KEY, NOT QUANTITY! The only items that have a specific limit are women’s clothing with a limit of 5 pieces, and stuffed animals with a limit of 6 (this does not include stuffed toys that are battery operated, play music etc.).

My teens love horror movies, those are okay to consign aren’t they?

NO!! Please, for goodness sake, remember that this is and will remain a family friendly shopping environment. Be very selective about the content of items such as videos, DVD’s, books, computer and video games, music, etc.. An ‘R’ rating is a pretty good indication that it’s not suitable for children, anything ‘PG13’ will be carefully considered. We reserve the right to not accept/pull off the selling floor any item we feel may be questionable.

My children have a bad habit of ripping pages out of books, and throwing our DVD’s into the toy-box. Since the shoppers don’t know who the items belong to anyway, I’m probably pretty safe to go ahead and put these items in the sale, right??

Wrong. The shoppers don’t know who you are, but we do. Speaking as someone who’s bought some of those books, let me strongly encourage you to be aware of problems that may be specific to your young editors, and pitchers, (and artists and barbers etc.). Do we expect you to count every page of every book you consign, or every hair on Barbie’s head? No, not unless you frequently find torn pages, or synthetic hair on the floor. If you consign a 500 piece puzzle that has a piece that’s gone missing since the last time you worked it – it happens, the puzzle police will not come looking for you. But if you purposely consign a DVD that you know for a fact will not play because it has a scratch as big as your arm – then we’ve got problems. No consignor should ever purposely deceive the shopper by consigning an item with a known flaw. Minor imperfections are one thing, an un-usable item is another. Furthermore, Sweet Peas reserves the right to exclude consignors from our sales who consistently demonstrate an unwillingness to adhere to this policy.

As a consignor I’m looking forward to shopping early at the Pre-Sale, but I’m wondering if children are allowed?

While we STRONGLY recommend that you make other arrangements for children during the pre-sale, we also understand that sometimes things happen that are beyond our control, (husband out of town, baby-sitter cancels etc.). After all the hard work consignors do, we’d hate to see anyone have to miss the pre-sale on a technicality such as this. So, as a courtesy to our consignors we will allow children provided they are well supervised, and they in no way infringe upon the rights of the other consignors, (we reserve the right to change this policy for future sales should this become a problem). We urge consignors to consider the safety of the child/children first and foremost. Consignor night is very crowded and extremely busy!

Sweet Peas Children’s Consignment sale is an event that happens twice a year. The concept is quite simple, hundreds of families clean out the things they don’t need, so you can come and buy the things you do need, …………………….AND they get paid to do it! If you haven’t experienced Consignment Sale shopping, then you’re in for a real treat, if you have experienced ‘the thrill of the hunt’, then chances are you’re hooked. There’s nothing quite like it, you never know what treasures await you, and then to check out with your mountain of loot and realize you paid about 25% or less than what the retail price on each item would have been is quite addictive.

So does that mean it’s like a yard sale where you have to ‘hunt’ through boxes for the size you need, or the ‘thrill of actually finding something without a stain?

My goodness NO! At Sweet Peas, two of our top priorities are quality and organization. We check every item that comes in for consignment to ensure it meets our high standards, and has been prepared correctly. Items we feel are not of the highest quality, or that have not been prepared according to our guide-lines are returned to the consignor, or pulled from the sales floor. In order to further provide a positive shopping experience, all items are categorized and/or sized and placed accordingly around the room so you can quickly and easily find exactly what you’re looking for.

What can I expect to find when I shop at Sweet Peas?

Honestly, who knows…….that’s the beauty of it. No two sales are ever the same, so expect to find a vast array of items that somewhere, somehow have something to do with children. You’re likely to find things you never knew existed, and things suddenly you can’t live without. But one thing is certain, from pregnancy to High School – Sweet Peas has you covered!

Can I come and shop even if I didn’t put any items in to sell?

Absolutely! Everyone is welcome to shop once the sale opens to the public at 8:00am Wednesday morning, (see 'Schedule' for complete dates). The sale will remain open every day, (Wednesday through Friday) from 8AM – 8PM. Saturday 9AM-3PM. (Saturday is HALF PRICE DAY!) That’s 4 whole days to shop!

Are the prices negotiable, will you take less than what’s marked on the tag?

NO, with one exception. Our consignors work very hard to prepare and bring top quality, gently worn, and like new items to the sale, and they create their own tags for each item by deciding what they think is a fair asking price. Since all these items do not belong to us personally, we do not have the right to change or alter anything on the consignors ticket. The one exception to this rule is our half-off sale on Saturday, from 9am-3pm, (see 'Schedule' for date). When consignors create the tags for each item they have a choice as to whether or not to participate in the half off sale. They indicate this on the tag by placing an ‘ND’ in the lower left hand corner if they’ve chosen No Discount for their item. Items that are blank in the lower left hand corner will be discounted the entire day on Saturday.

Are children allowed at the public sale?

Once the sale opens to the public children are always welcome, they are after all some of our best customers – no one can motivate and negotiate purchases better than a child with their eyes on a prize. However there are rules regarding children that must be followed, not just to protect the property of our consignors, but to ensure the safety of the child and our shoppers as well. They are as follows:

Rule #1. It is not a playground, (it just looks like one). Many of our larger items and equipment may not be fully assembled to simplify dis-assembling once the item is purchased creating no danger in a normal shopping environment, but potentially hazardous to anyone who climbs it. This rule also applies to any and all of our racks and fixtures – which should not be treated like monkey bars. We are only in this location twice a year and do not have the luxury of having things bolted to the walls. Racks will pull over, and if you’re underneath it on the way down it’s going to hurt! Our best advice is to keep your children close to you.

Rule #2. The property of our consignors must be respected at all times. Children may not open bags to play with the items inside which can very easily get separated, mixed-up, scattered, and lost. Children may not play with toys or any other item in a manner which could lead to damage or destruction of the item. Parents, please be advised, if this occurs you will be asked to purchase the item, out of fairness to our consignors who've trusted us with their things.

Rule #3. Children’s actions may not in any way cause or create a potentially dangerous or uncomfortable situation for other shoppers. Examples are; sending a skateboard zooming across the floor and under racks to see how far it can go, getting on a bike or riding toy and circling laps around the room- narrowly missing shoppers toes, grabbing brother and two full size strollers and having stroller races, (or better yet, playing ‘chicken’) up and down the aisles, sword fights, a fast pitch game of catch. (Don’t ask me where I got these examples, you don’t want to know!!) Please understand, any children observed breaking any of our rules will be asked to stop, and should it continue to be a problem the parent will be asked to leave.

Bottom line – supervise your children, for their own safety, and our sanity!

Should I plan on bringing something with me to hold things while I shop, does it matter what it is?

Sure, the bigger the better! Storage totes and laundry baskets work great, you can even strap on a belt or something to pull it a long, however we respectfully ask that no bags be brought into the sale.

What form of payment do you accept?

We will accept cash, debit and credit cards and checks providing the check writer’s name and address are pre-printed on the check. All returned checks are subject to applicable bank fees and Sweet Peas reserves the right to limit anyone with a returned check from any of our sales to pay by cash only.

Is there a place for my kids to try things on?

We do not have dressing rooms, but if you ask we will permit you to go to the bathroom to try on items. Others prefer to bring children’s measurements and a measuring tape.

Help Wanted!

Sweet Peas has continued to grow to the point that we (finally) found ourselves asking, “Why are we hogging all the fun”? So we decided maybe the time was right to enlist more help, and share the love.

*The shifts are in 4-hour blocks, and are available before, during, and after sale hours. So there's something for everyone, and plenty of shifts available but they're offered on a first come, first serve basis. We also ask that you not bring children with you for your scheduled shift unless they are 16 or older.

*Sign-up for one 4-hour shift and shop an hour earlier for pre-sale (shop at 5:00 instead of 6:00).

*Sign-up for two 4-hour shifts and shop two hours earlier for pre-sale (shop at 4:00 instead of 5:00 or 6:00).

*You can schedule your shift(s) online, or by contacting us.

*Don't forget Dads and Husbands – we could use their help too, and you can count their shift plus yours. We especially need them for the pre-sale on Tuesday, March 5th to help carry out large purchases and equipment, or to be on security detail.

*You can cancel or change your shift up to 7 days before the first drop-off date, after that please plan on sending a replacement for your scheduled shift if for some reason you're unable to make it.

*Please note, anyone that does not show up (or send a replacement) for a scheduled shift jeopardizes their chances of volunteering with Sweet Peas in the future.

*If you volunteer for the final sort on Saturday night you can go ahead and take your unsold items with you that night and not have to come back on Sunday for pick-up!

It sounds crazy, but even though it's work, we still have a lot of fun. We'll prove it to you, sign-up and find out for yourselves!

Contact Us

If you need anything,

Sweet Peas "Busy Bee" Tag-for-Me Service

Would you love more space in your children's closets and play-rooms? Have you been 'getting rid' of everything because you don't know what else to do? Well Sweet Peas has a solution we think you're going to love, designed for people just like you who have a lot of great items, but not a lot of time. With this service we'll hang and prepare your items for the sale, you'll get a pre-sale pass to keep or give to a friend, and when the sale's over you'll get a check for 50% of the selling price for each item sold, (minus a .15 cent per item supply fee). You can bring your items to us or ask for our pick-up or drop-off service and never have to leave the house. For a $10.00 trip charge (deducted from your earnings) we'll pick-up your items and/or drop-off un-sold items after the sale, or choose to have your un-sold items donated to charity so that once they leave your closets and toy-boxes they're gone for good. We even mail your check!

Items will stop being accepted 2 weeks from the start of the sale. We have to make sure we have time for your stuff and for tagging all of our own things also!

How to get your items ready to consign with Sweet Peas Children's Consignment Sale

CLOTHING:

*All clothing must be clean and on hangers with hanger hook facing left, (when you look at the front of the garment, the hanger will look like a question mark), then safety pin the tag on the right making sure the safety pin is horizontal, not vertical.

*For jeans, pants, (shorts, skirts etc.), simply lay the item on the hanger and run a safety pin through the waist and around the shoulder rungs of the hanger.

*For two-piece outfits, put the top on the hanger and then safety pin the other piece behind the top going through the shoulder, (catching the hanger for support), and then through the waistband.

**Anytime you're hanging pants and two-piece outfits, wire hangers are the easiest to get the safety pins around.

**If you have special occasion clothing or any garment that might be damaged by a safety pin (leather, suede, some raincoats, fragile and delicate fabrics etc.) then the tag needs to be attached differently. If it's outerwear, or if it has a zipper pull with a hole in the end, then you can pin the tag onto the zipper pull. If it has a label in the neck, you can pin the tag to that. For everything else, or if you're unsure, bring the item and tag with you to drop-off and we'll help you safely attach it.

*Please close all zippers, buttons, and snaps, and tie the sashes on dresses so that your items look as nice as possible. No one loves to iron but sometimes a little touch-up here and there can go a long way. Just remember, the nicer they look, the faster they sell!

*If your items are coming from a home where someone smokes, everything MUST be freshly laundered immediately prior to drop-off.

*For small items and/or groups, sort them by size (toddler socks, newborn onesies, etc.) and place neatly in zip-lock bags. Place the tag inside the bag and using clear packaging tape seal the bag closed.

SHOES:

*Shoes must be clean and in great to like-new condition! Each pair needs to be pinned/zip-tied or buckled together, (no zip-lock bags please). To attach the tag, use a safety pin or zip-tie and go around a strap, or through the shoe laces, or around the pin or tie that's holding the pair together.

TOYS:

*All toys must be clean – even if they're outside toys! Most plush/fabric items, (stuffed animals, rag dolls, baby toys, Barbie clothes etc.) can be washed in the washing machine, gentle cycle, either in a pillowcase or mesh laundry bag – or without. Check tags for manufacturers instructions. Battery operated plush items can be 'sponge bathed' using a damp rag. Depending on the item, you can attach the tag with safety pin, zip-tie, or tape.

*For large toys please use a zip-tie or clear packaging tape to attach the tag, (NOT Scotch or masking tape)! If your large piece comes with additional pieces/accessories please try to place them in a clear bag, (like the larger size zip-locks or a comforter type of bag). We can help you securely attach the bag (or any other oddly shaped pieces) to the larger item at drop-off.

*For toys and assortments that are comprised of many, many parts (train sets, Legos etc.), please bag the entire item(s), place the tag inside the bag and then tape the daylights out of the bag opening so that no little hands get in!

GAMES, BOOKS, TAPES, DVD'S:

*Please double check the contents of board games and video and DVD cases!

*For boxed games, books, VHS, and DVD's we recommend painters tape (not masking tape). It stays on securely, but won't damage the surface upon removal. For board games, bag any loose pieces, put the bag in the box and then tape the box closed in four places. For VHS movies in a box, place a piece of tape on the bottom so the movie doesn't fall out, for plastic cases just put a piece of tape to keep it closed.

*Books can be bagged in groups (with the tag inside and the bag taped closed), or tagged individually using paint tape to attach tag to the front or back cover.

FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT:

*Please make sure all furniture and equipment is clean and in good working order with no missing parts.

*For high-chairs, car seats, strollers etc. that have removable covers, please make sure these are washed and returned to the item before drop-off.

*We accept car seats that have never been in an accident, and were manufactured within the last 5 years. However we do ask that before drop-off you double check that it has not been recalled by visiting www.cpsc.gov , or calling 1 800 638-2772.

*Furniture and equipment that is assembled or set-up tends to sell more quickly, so please bring all necessary pieces, parts and tools to drop-off so that you can assemble your item(s). If you still have the instructions, or any other paperwork that came with the item, please include that as well.

*For furniture, please bring the tag with you to drop-off and we will help you attach it.

*For any items you're not sure how to tag, please bring the items and tags to drop-off and we'll help you make sure everything's securely attached!

Trading & Bartering

Let's Be Pod'ners!

Try Sweet Peas Trading/Bartering Option

We are always in need of rolling racks and tables. If you happen to have either of these items that you don't mind us borrowing, then we may have an incentive you're going to love.

We'll trade you one pre-sale pass for each rack and/or table.

Already consigning in Sweet Peas up-coming sale?
Then we'll give you an earlier shopping pass to shop with the volunteers.

Racks and tables need to be delivered to the TAD Center Saturday, August 10th anytime between 1:00 and 3:00pm. (Unless you get a hold of us to set up a better time for you.)

Have other fixtures that may be useful? Call us with a description and approximate size.

All items will need to be picked up on Sunday, August 17th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.